Court orders rogue trader to repay proceeds of crime

Following a successful prosecution by North Yorkshire County Council Trading Standards and Planning Services, a rogue trader has been ordered by York Crown Court to repay his ill-gotten gains.

Darryl Sylvester Glynn (46), previously of Carr Street, Selby, North Yorkshire, was sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment in February 2010, following the trading standards investigation into his rogue trading activities. He had pleaded guilty to 21 Theft Act and Fraud Act offences in October 2009.

The investigation related to his businesses Selby Builders.co.uk Ltd and Acorn Construction and Roofing Services. North Yorkshire Trading Standards began the investigation into Glynn’s activities in February 2008, following complaints from consumers. His modus operandi was to contract with consumers in relation to building and roofing work, to demand large amounts of cash repeatedly for materials in advance and then to fail to carry out work.

The work he did carry out was poor and had to be rectified subsequently by householders. Glynn’s customers also faced aggressive behaviour when they challenged him about the quality of his work, his lack of work and his demands for further money.

Glynn’s work was examined by an expert appointed by North Yorkshire Trading Standards, who described it as ranging from incompetent to positively dangerous. Glynn’s victims included one householder who originally agreed to roofing work to the value of £17,500. The customer eventually handed over £21,000 to Glynn following demands. In addition, due to Glynn’s incompetence, a large amount of water damage was caused to the interior of the house, estimated at over £30,000.

At today’s hearing Glynn admitted to benefiting from crime by £140,000 and also to having hidden assets worth this amount. As a result, he was ordered by the court to pay up £140,000 within six months. Should he fail to do so, he will serve two years three months imprisonment by way of default. The victims of Glynn’s scams will be compensated from any monies paid by Glynn to satisfy the order.

The County Council’s Executive Member for Trading Standards and Planning Services, Cllr Chris Metcalfe, said: “The Proceeds of Crime Act is designed to ensure crime does not pay. This is another good example of our commitment to using the Act to ensure this is the case for those who defraud our residents in this way. Such behaviour is wholly unacceptable and we will make effective use of all tools available to us to protect the residents of North Yorkshire from such individuals. This case should serve as a warning to others who may be contemplating such criminal behaviour. “